Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month is being celebrated from September 15th to October 15th! This is a month dedicated to recognizing the contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans to the United States and celebrating the group's heritage and culture. CASA recognizes the extreme importance of celebrating the Hispanic heritage.

Child Advocates San Antonio (CASA) works with children who have been removed from their home due to abuse and neglect. A CASA volunteer assigned to a child’s case is there to advocate for the best interests and services for the child, ensuring that children do not get lost in an overburdened system. This person serves as the “eyes and ears” of the Judge and provides recommendations based on the insight and information gained through spending quality time with the child during their visits. These volunteers are often the only familiar face for children while they are in the foster system. Seventy-one percent of child abuse victims in San Antonio and Bexar County are Hispanic, which is a constant reminder that we must not forget these children before they fall through the cracks of the system. At the moment, these children who have been removed from their homes and put into state custody are in dire need of a familiar face. Hispanic children in state custody need an Advocate who can relate to their background and help them to stay connected to their culture and history. All children can and should benefit from having a Hispanic Advocate.

CASA has a strong push and focus on diversity. Our non-Anglo volunteers rose from only 43% of our volunteer force to 46% recently as a result of our new targeted efforts. In 2015, National CASA ranked our volunteers “Most Diverse” compared to all other CASAs in the country and recently awarded Child Advocates San Antonio the “National Inclusion Award,” which recognizes one CASA Program in the nation that demonstrates the greatest commitment to diversity. In our CASA program, 30% of our Advocates are Hispanic, and this directly reflects our push for more diversity. We want to continue to make significant progress in not only providing a volunteer for every child, but a volunteer who is from a similar background to the client population.

As a CASA Advocate, you can have a major impact on the life of child abuse victims in state custody. Children with a CASA volunteer are half as likely to re-enter foster care, breaking the oftentimes generational cycle of violence. A child who has an Advocate on their case finds a safe, permanent home 8 months faster than a child who does not have a CASA volunteer. This month is a unique opportunity to reflect upon the Hispanic legacy and partnering with CASA is a great way to help children continue building this legacy.

Please consider getting involved with CASA; you can volunteer, donate, or even help us spread the word by inviting us to come speak at your organization. You can visit our website to get involved with CASA to learn more about the amazing impacts we make in our community. Be the difference today!